Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signs legislation stripping incoming Democrats' power

"Despite all the hype and hysteria out there, these bills do nothing to fundamentally diminish executive authority," Walker, a Republican, said in a statement. "The bottom line is the new governor will continue to be one of the most powerful chief executives in the country."

The legislation is designed to effectively prevent Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers and incoming Attorney General Josh Kaul from delivering on their campaign promises, including one bill that would require permission from the state legislature before the state's executive branch could make waivers or changes to public assistance programs, including work- and drug-testing requirements for "able-bodied" adults.

"My criteria when evaluating these bills were simple: Do they improve transparency? Do they increase accountability? Do they affirm stability? And do they protect the taxpayers? The answer is yes," Walker said in his statement.